


Under the Stars

by Gremkt



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Formal events, M/M, Picnics, boys being bisexual under the stars, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-17 14:55:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29594490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gremkt/pseuds/Gremkt
Summary: Alistair Theirin and Carver Hawke reluctantly attend a formal event as Warden representatives. They discover that it’s actually much nicer outside under the stars.Written for the prompt “staring at the other’s lips, trying not to kiss them before giving in”
Relationships: Alistair/Carver Hawke
Comments: 3
Kudos: 12





	Under the Stars

One advantage of being a Grey Warden, Alistair often thought, was the general lack of expected involvement in fancy politicised events. 

Of course, that wasn’t always the case, and Alistair found himself now standing awkwardly to the side of one such event, wearing an uncomfortably stiff formal uniform and doing his very best to avoid the attention of the well dressed ladies trying to catch his eye. It had been easier when he hadn’t been alone, when he’d been able to look busy in conversation, unable to give them any time. 

Not that he was pretending to be interested in talking to Carver, of course. He was always interested in what his fellow Warden had to say and it had definitely been a relief when the Warden Commander had told him who’d be accompanying him when he’d insisted the Wardens made an appearance. 

But now his fellow Warden had wandered off to do… something, and Alistair was left trying to pretend he actually knew what he was doing. 

“Got you something,” Carver said, reappearing beside him as if he knew he was the subject of Alistair’s thoughts, a plate of finger food clutched in his hands. It wasn’t entirely clear what the food was, other than something fancy and no doubt expensive. “Dunno what they are but they taste good.” 

“Were you  _ meant  _ to take the whole plate?” Alistair asked, amused. Carver glanced down at it and shrugged as Alistair helped himself. Even on closer inspection it wasn’t clear exactly what he was eating but Carver was right - it was good. 

“They didn’t stop me when I grabbed it,” he said, popping one delicately in his mouth. “I thought maybe we could get out of here. Find somewhere outside.”

“It’s a tough decision,” Alistair said, already moving towards the external door. “But you  _ have  _ made a very compelling argument. Even better if you’re throwing in that plate of food. Let’s go.” 

They found a quiet place in a courtyard outside, close enough that a quiet rumble of noise from the party inside still filled the air but with enough silence that they finally felt alone. A wash of dim light filled the area, radiating out from the main building, illuminating the area enough that Alistair could see both Carver and the stars.

Carver offered him the plate then set it down on the low wall beside them, close enough they could both reach it. 

“Reckon you can catch this in your mouth?” he asked, holding up a bit of food. 

“Try me,” Alistair said, opening his mouth. He caught the first two Carver threw, missing the third, which hit him directly in the face as Carver laughed. 

“You try, then,” he said, brushing the side of his face clean and throwing one back at Carver. It hit his cheek and Carver looked at him in mock offence. 

“You didn’t give me time to be ready,” he said, throwing one back. 

“A warden should always be ready, Hawke,” Alistair teased. 

“Shut it, Theirin,” Carver said, his mouth full as they lapsed into silence again, gazing out over the gardens. They were beautiful but Alistair hated to think of the work that must go into maintaining them. 

“I hate this uniform.” Alistair said after a moment, pulling at the collar. “We have perfectly functional everyday ones but they insist on forcing us into these… things for formal events.”

“They should’ve gotten your expert fashion opinion,” Carver said with a sideways smirk. He tossed another tiny portion of food into the air, catching it in his mouth. 

“I probably could have done a better job,” Alistair said. “At least I’d make them comfortable. And maybe they could do with a few patterns. Even more stripes. Get rid of this awful itchy collar. Who knows, I could have a new career in fashion if this Warden thing stops working out.”

“I like the uniforms,” Carver shrugged. “They show off muscles quite nicely.”

“It does make your arms look very good,” Alistair acknowledged. He’d tried not to notice but he’d be lying if he said he hadn’t looked. 

“You’re not wrong,” Carver said with a cheeky grin in his direction. “But... it wasn’t my muscles I was looking at.”

He looked away with the end of his sentence, his eyes fixed steadily on the gardens in front of them, and Alistair felt his cheeks grow hot. The cool night air was a contrast on his warm skin. 

“It’s nice out here.” Alistair said, breaking the moment of silence that followed Carver’s words, though he wasn’t quite sure he wanted to. There was something comfortable in the moment. Besides, he really didn’t know what else to say to that, not without making his own face even redder. “Much nicer than in there, anyway. Quieter. Less noise and attention. You can see the plants and the stars and… the trees.” 

Carver snorted. 

“It’s not hard to be nicer than in there, full of those pompous asses.” 

“Imagine if I’d become the king of Ferelden.” Alistair’s voice was soft. He tried not to think about how close he’d come to that. “I’d have been stuck at all kinds of fancy posh events like this and they’d probably care more if I left.”

“You’d probably be able to snap your fingers and demand more of these any time you wanted though,” Carver pointed out, placing one of the few remaining morsels of food into his mouth. 

“You’re right, I’ve made an awful mistake turning down the throne.” Alistair laughed. “I wonder how her majesty would feel if I tried to take it back now. Sorry Anora, I know I gave up all claim to the throne but you see, there were these  _ excellent _ snacks at that event last week, and...” 

He trailed off with a laugh. Carver laughed with him. 

“I’m glad you didn’t become king,” he said.

“Oh?” 

Carver turned to face him again, leaning casually against the wall beside them. 

“If you were king, you’d be stuck somewhere else across the room, surrounded by important people, and I’d be here with somebody else, probably bored out of my brain.” 

“You’d find a way to make it fun, I’m sure,” Alistair said. “You’re good at making things fun. Even the dullest things I can possibly think off, like… listening to boring speeches. Or giving boring speeches. Or… I don’t know, washing socks.” 

Carver shrugged. 

“Maybe. I’d rather be here with you though,” he said, smiling as he caught Alistair’s eye again. “I like being with you.” 

“I like being with you too,” Alistair said, smiling back at him, and it was true. Things were more fun to do with Carver around, and Alistair felt happier when he was. Carver made him laugh, made him want to be the best person he could be, and with Carver, he never felt like he had to pretend to be anything he wasn’t or to pretend he was ok when he wasn’t.

There really wasn’t anybody he’d rather be here with than Carver. 

While the circumstances of Carver’s Joining - hauled from the Deep Roads on the brink of death - hadn’t been ideal, Alistair was very grateful that at least it had brought them together. 

He realised he’d become distracted, caught up in his own thoughts, and he focused on bringing his attention back to Carver, the way Carver still looked at him, the way his eyes fixed steadily on Alistair’s face. 

“It’s beautiful out here,” Alistair said, trying to ignore the way his mouth was inexplicably suddenly very dry.

Carver’s lips curved into a smile. 

“You already said that.”

“Did I?” Alistair said absentmindedly, trying as hard as he could not to think about that smile, to tear his eyes and his thoughts away from those lips. His heartbeat sounded in his ears, a steady beat, all but drowning out the distant noise from inside. 

“Yeah,” Carver said and Alistair’s eyes finally lifted away from Carver’s mouth to meet his eyes. They always made him think of the sky, blue and bright, the kind of eyes you could get lost in if you looked too long.

They were even more beautiful than the stars. 

“Alistair?” Carver said and Alistair felt the blood rush to his cheeks, wondering if he had spoken the thought out loud. But he still didn’t look away,  _ couldn’t _ look away, as Carver’s eyes now flicked down towards Alistair’s mouth.

He didn’t know exactly what happened next, if he moved or if Carver did, but suddenly his lips were against Carver’s and Carver’s were against his and Carver was all he could think about. Nothing else mattered, not the party inside, not all the people there, not their responsibilities. Nothing mattered but Carver and the way his lips felt against Alistair’s, the way his hand crept around Alistair’s back, pulling him closer. 

When Carver broke the kiss, stepped back, his hand lingered on Alistair’s waist, a smile curving across his face. Alistair opened his mouth to say something but words failed him as he gaped at Carver, wondering if Carver would do it again, would let  _ him _ do it again. 

“I never thought I’d see you speechless,” Carver said. “Maybe I should’ve tried that earlier.”

Alistair’s cheeks grew hot again and Carver smiled at him reassuringly, his grip on Alistair’s hip tightening ever so slightly as he leaned forward. 

“Then again, I always like listening to you talk.”

“I can’t say I’d mind being shut up like that,” Alistair said, conscious of how quiet his voice was. Carver was so close, though, that it really didn’t matter. “In fact, you’re welcome to do it anytime you want. More than welcome in fact. Although-”

He didn’t get to finish the thought before Carver took advantage of his newfound strategy.

“I said you were good at finding ways to make things fun,” Alistair told him breathlessly when Carver stepped back again and the other Warden laughed. 

“Shame I’m still bored though,” he said. “I guess I better try again.”

“A terrible shame,” Alistair said. “I do hope I can find a way to help.” 

And this time, it was him that leaned in to kiss Carver.

**Author's Note:**

> I tried to think of more detail about where they were and why but in the end I really couldn’t be bothered sooo let’s just pretend there’s a reason there ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> Come find me on tumblr at kirkwallgremlin, where I yell about Carver and Alistair and Dragon Age and Carver a lot <3


End file.
